Lewiston Fire Chief Paul Leclair said all four fires that happened in the city early Thursday morning were intentionally set, including one at a three-story apartment building that displaced about 20 people.

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A fire at a three-story apartment building at 23 Howe St. displaced 20 people from seven families.

Crystal Thompson lives on the second floor and said she woke up to loud screams telling her to get out.

"Fire, pounding, banging, yelling, screaming," said Thompson.

Fire Chief Paul Leclair said the fire at 23 Howe St. as well as a fire at a vacant building at 44 Nichols St. were intentionally set.

"(There was) extensive damage in that building. It will have to be torn down later because of the amount of damage," Leclair said of the Nichols Street fire.

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Firefighters were called to Howe Street at about 4 a.m. Thursday after neighbors heard an explosion. The fire caused heavy damage to several apartments, which were home to as many as a dozen people.

Crews from Lisbon and Auburn were also called in to assist.

Earlier in the morning firefighters battled fires at 135 Oxford St. and 44 Nichols St. The building on Nichols Street was destroyed.

The fourth fire occurred at 48 Howe St.

"That was another small fire that was inside a hallway inside the apartment building," said Sgt. Ken Grimes with the Maine Fire Marshal's Office.

Leclair said during a news conference that the 48 Howe St. and the 135 Oxford St. fires were also intentionally set.

No arrests have been made in any of the fires and there are no specific leads, according to the Maine Fire Marshal's Office.

The Red Cross is assisting the victims of the Howe Street fire. No one was injured in any of the fires.

"I couldn't even think of what to grab. I was hoping to grab my purse because I always keep it beside me, but I didn't even worry about that. I just got out," said Thompson.

Thursday's fires come just three weeks before the first anniversary of a string of unrelated arsons that destroyed a number of buildings in Lewiston's downtown. Those fires displaced nearly 200 people.